American Knife and Tool Institute

Keeping Knives in American Lives Since 1998

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Keeping Knives in American Lives Since 1998

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    • About Statewide Knife Preemption
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Resources

Resources for the Knife Industry

Brand Protection
AKTI Knife Industry Career Center
Proposition 65

Links to Business Resources Dealing with Coronavirus

  • COVID-19: Implications for business – from McKinsey & Company
  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce CARES ACT  (PDF)
  • U.S. Senate Committee Small Biz Guide to Cares Act  (PDF)
  • Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – U.S. Small Business Administration
    Please note that these are federal resources.  Be sure to check with your state and local rulings as they govern which businesses may or may not be open or other regulations at this time.

Knife Statistics

We’re Your Neighbors – People who use knives every day.
Knife User Data – Statistics on the sporting and work knife industry and knife owners.

Knife Standards

AKTI takes seriously its goal to educate and inform about knives as valuable tools.  Below are resources developed and approved by the sporting knife and tool industry to help the industry, users, lawmakers, and law enforcement with consistent laws and enforcement to protect everyone.

AKTI Approved Knife Definitions
Understanding Bias Toward Closure and Knife Mechanisms
AKTI Protocol for Measuring Knife Blade Length | (PDF version)
How to Measure the Blade Length of a Knife Video

Knife Laws

State Knife Laws
Don’t Believe the Myths About Automatic Knives
State Laws Regarding Auto-Open Knives
About Statewide Knife Preemption
Federal Switchblade Law
Finding Knife Laws

Know Your Knife Laws Articles

These AKTI articles have been shared in Knife Magazine.

A Century of Puzzlement – California Knife Law
Affirmative Defenses
Age-Based Knife Laws
Brandishing
Circumstances of Possession
Collectors
Concerning Concealment
Daggers by Design or by Description?
Driving With Knife in Possession
Gravity Knife by Any Other Name
Is There a 50-State Knife?
Knife Laws Scrutinized
Knives as Arms
Knives in Outdoor Pursuits
Preemption and Knife Laws
Schools and Knife Laws
Statistics and Steak Knives
The Bowie Knife Frenzie
The Elusive Stilleto
The Federal Switchblade Act – Is it Constitutional?
The Federal Switchblade Act – A Huge Problem Foreseen
The Long and Short of It
The Misunderstood Dirk
The Other Part of the Iceberg
The Uncommon and Extraordinary Pocket Knife
The Unwelcomed Butterfly
The Useful Sword Cane
Tools or Weapons
Vagueness

What Knife Owners Need to Know

We want you to be able to own, carry and use your knives with confidence.  Here are things that every knife owner should know.

Concerning Concealment
Traveling with a Knife
Counterfeit Knives
Encounters with Law Enforcement
Confiscated Knives
The Legal Edge: What Every Knife Owner Should Know
Brandishing a Knife

Defense Attorneys

AKTI is developing a growing list of defense attorneys who will consult with a defendant’s attorney on knife cases. Any fee involved after the referral is the responsibility of the defense attorney. Contact AKTI. If you are a defense attorney who would like to participate, please contact us. Please indicate the states where you are licensed to practice.

Expert Witnesses

When a case goes to trial, your defense attorney may need an expert witness for a pre-trial hearing or for the trial itself. AKTI maintains a list of knife experts who may be qualified to testify. AKTI is also soliciting additional knife industry figures who may be available locally or regionally to appear on behalf of clients. Fees for the expert witness are the responsibility of the defense attorney. If you either need an expert witness or would like to become one, contact AKTI.

Publications

AKTI thanks the industry knife publications for their support by supplying complimentary advertisements and printing AKTI news.

Knife Magazine
Blade Magazine
Knife World (Knife World Publications) and knife book publisher
Knives Illustrated Magazine (APG Media)

Organizations

  • Knife Collectors’ Clubs – can be reached by contacting specific manufacturers or doing an internet search
  • Knifemakers’ Guild – a professional association representing knifemakers throughout the world
  • American Bladesmith Society – an organization dedicated to the teaching and promotion of the forged blade
  • Elephant Protection Association – working to stop ivory bans that persecute law abiding citizens and refocus efforts on strategies that will actually save elephants.

Internet Resources

  • Knife Glossary – provided on the A.G. Russell Knives website
  • Stainless Steel Guide Chart – properties of stainless and non-stainless steel provided by A. G. Russell Knives
  • Guide to the Best Knife Steel – description of different steel properties and types of knife steel on Knife Informer review website
  • Ultimate Knife Steel Guide – comprehensive guide provided by Blade HQ
  • Pocket Knife Lock Types – a guide to the various locking mechanisms by different manufacturers and their pros and cons
  • Knife Forging – how forged knives are made
  • Knife Blade Steels and How to Choose – a guide to different steels and how to choose the one you need

Also, see our sources on Contacting Legislators or Finding Knife Laws for more information.

Counterfeit Knives

  • Contending With Counterfeits – AKTI and the knife industry take on the problem of inferior products made and sold illegally.
  • Be Safe. Not Sorry– Know why you should not buy a counterfeit knife.

Discussion Forums/Blogs

When there is an important issue for the knife community, AKTI will alert you by email if you are a member or Grassroots Supporter.  If you want to discuss various knives, ownership, and issues with other interested knife owners, check out these popular Forums.

  • BladeForums.com
  • KnifeDogs.com
  • KnifeTalkOnline.com
  • The Blade Blog

AKTI focuses on changing knife laws that unfairly target law-abiding knife owners for knife possession. If you are aware of a knife law situation that is unfair to knife users, contact us about possible legislative action.

Looking for a Knife?

If you are searching for information on products, there are several knife magazines serving the industry that publish information and advertising. Check out these online sources that review products and support AKTI’s efforts:

  • BladeReviews.com
  • The Pocket Knife Guy
  • Knife Informer
  • More Than Just Surviving

Industry manufacturers and suppliers maintain websites where they describe their products. If you are searching for the value of a knife, information on knifemaking, or historical information, there are numerous books available at local libraries or from publishers plus collectors’ associations and other organizations who specialize in this information.

Have a Knife Innovation Idea?

If you are looking for someone to review a knife design idea or work with you to manufacture a knife, you can contact the following companies:

American Outdoor Brands – Contact Information
Benchmade Knife Company – Contact Information
Boker USA – Contact Information
Fox Knives – Contact Information
Outdoor Edge – Contact Information
W.R. Case – Contact Information
We Knife – Contact Information

Take Action

  • Become a Member (Industry)
  • Become a Member (Individual)
  • Stay Informed
Make a Contribution

Popular Resources

  • AKTI Knife Auction
  • AKTI Approved Knife Definitions
  • State Knife Laws
  • State Auto-Open Laws
  • What Every Knife Owner Should Know
  • Traveling with Knives
American Knife & Tool Institute

1 day ago

American Knife & Tool Institute
#KnowYourKnifeLaws - 1/3 of the states have special provisions for knives used while hunting.www.akti.org/knives-in-outdoor-pursuits/#carrywithconfidence #AKTİ #huntingwithknives ... See MoreSee Less

Knives in Outdoor Pursuits | American Knife and Tool Institute

www.akti.org

This article appeared in Knife Magazine, September 2021. By Daniel C. Lawson, Attorney and Knife Expert Statutes in one-third of the United States contain a provision for hunting knives or the carry.....
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As a nonprofit association, AKTI’s role is to be the reasonable and responsible advocate for the knife-making and knife-using community; educating, promoting and informing that knives are important tools.

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